10 Easy Wildflowers Your guide to Florida native wildflowers for landscapes Contents Tips and terms ..............Page 2 Spotted Beebalm .......Page 13 Blanketflower ...............Page 3 Silver-leaved Aster ...Page 15 Rudbeckias .....................Page 5 Salvias ...........................Page 17 Blazing Stars ..................Page 7 Silphiums .....................Page 19 Coreopsis .........................Page 9 Sunflowers ..................Page 21 Seaside Goldenrod ....Page 11 Seed planting guide ..Page 23 Photo by Steve Cannon/FDACS Tips and Terms Selection Glossary of helpful terms It may take a while to understand your landscape’s soil and drainage Appressed: pressed closely, but not conditions. If your wildflowers don’t succeed, try again, maybe with different fused (e.g. leaves against a stem) species. Remember, success depends on using the right plant in the right Basal: forming or attached at the base place. Calyx: the sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the Water petals and protects the flower bud Water plants thoroughly when planting, then water as needed until they Cultivar: a horticultural variety of are established and putting out new foliage. Once plants are established, a naturally-occurring “wild” plant irrigation should be needed only during extended dry periods. Learn to species that was produced in recognize when plants look wilted and water them then. Over-irrigation can cultivation by selection cause fungus and rot, which can kill your wildflowers. It can also cause them Disk floret: in composite flowers of to grow too quickly, becoming more susceptible to pests and diseases, or the Asteraceae family, the tubular- shaped florets that form the “eye” or too tall, requiring staking. center of the bloom; compare to ray floret Fertilizer Dissected: deeply divided or cut into Native wildflowers should not need fertilizer. Applying fertilizer can produce many segments plants that grow too quickly, which can lead them to become pest and Ecotype: a distinct form of a plant disease prone, and too tall, requiring staking. species that occupies a particular Fertilizing also encourages weeds, which can easily out-compete habitat wildflowers. Form: a taxonomic rank below variety that identifies differences within a Sustaining wildflowers species If you want wildflowers to persist on their own in your landscape, you’ll need Nutlet: one of the one-seeded to allow for self-seeding, especially for annual or short-lived species. Keep segments of the ovary of some members of the Lamiaceae family open, lightly mulched areas available for seed to germinate. You also can collect seed and plant it where you want it. When seeds germinate, you’ll Panicle: a loose, branching cluster of flowers need to recognize wildflower sprouts so that you don’t pull them out when Ray floret: in composite flowers of the weeding. To download a PDF document showing some common wildflower Asteraceae family, the strap-shaped, seedlings, visit www.FlaWildflowers.org/planting.php. petal-like florets that form the ray of Many wildflowers are deciduous, dying back in the winter, particularly in the bloom; compare to disk floret colder areas of the state. Don’t plant over them before they re-sprout in Scape: a long, leafless flower stalk coming directly from a root the spring, and don’t weed them out when they sprout. Mark areas with deciduous plants so you can be on the lookout for their seasonal comeback. Variety: a taxonomic rank below species and above form that Mulch identifies differences within a species We recommend Florida pine straw. To help prevent weed germination in the first month or two after planting, you can apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch, Need more information? but keep it away from the base of the plants. Once plants are established Consult these resources: and before they fully flower, carefully reduce the mulch to a thin layer. Too • Florida Wildflower Foundation much mulch can contribute to fungal and rot problems. To promote self- www.FlaWildflowers.org seeding, spread mulch thinly enough so that you can see the soil below. • Florida Association of Native Nurseries www.PlantRealFlorida.org • Florida Native Plant Society, www.FNPS.org • Florida Wildflower Seed & Plant Growers Association, www.FloridaWildflowers.com This publication was produced by the Florida Wildflower Foundation (FWF) with support from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Funding also was provided by the State Wildflower license plate. FWF is grateful to the Florida Association of Native Nurseries and Florida Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association for their participation. © 2014 Florida Wildflower Foundation W2 planting and care of Blanketflower in landscapes Photo by Greg Krolczyk About this species Description In Florida, Blanketflower is an be entirely red or yellow, have annual or short-lived perennial. an inner red band surrounded Its linear- to lance-shaped leaves by a white band, or, on rare are quite hairy, which makes occasions, be entirely white. the plant appear grayish-green. Sometimes the petals even are Under natural conditions, it’s from tubular — narrow at the base and 12 to 18 inches tall and about as flaring out like trumpets. wide. In gardens, it can easily Peak flowering is from mid-spring spread twice that. to late summer, with diminished Its brightly colored flowers, long flowering until frost; in Central blooming season and drought and South Florida, Blanketflower Photo by Jeff Norcini Photo by Jeff tolerance make this a popular can bloom at any time of the garden plant. Flower petals year. Blanketflower (Gaillardia typically are bi-colored with an Use Blanketflower in landscape pulchella), also known as inner red band surrounded by an sites where it can be allowed Firewheel and Indian Blanket, outer yellow band. The relative to spread, as it can be a very is one of two Gaillardia amounts of red and yellow can aggressive re-seeder, especially species native to Florida, the vary considerably. Petals can in loamy soils. other species being Lanceleaf Blanketflower (G. aestivalis). Blanketflower occurs Blanketflower is an excellent nectar plant for butterflies and throughout Florida in coastal pollinators. Its “tough as nails” reputation is well deserved. areas and disturbed sites. If you have an open, sandy, sunny spot where nothing grows, try Blanketflower. Photos by Jeff Norcini Photos by Jeff The State Wildflower license plate supports Florida native wildflower planting, education and research. Get the plate and help fill our state with wildflowers! W3 Planting Site Conditions Blanketflower easily sustains itself through re-seeding. To Blanketflower is salt tolerant ensure seed set, several to and grows best in full sun in many plants should be in close dry to slightly dry, well-drained proximity so bees and other soil. In shadier sites, it gets insect pollinators can cross- very leggy and can even creep pollinate flowers. Plantings can into adjacent shrubs. Once be established by seed or plants. established, Blanketflower is very tolerant of hot, dry Seeds conditions, especially in very Photo by Florida Wildflower Seed Co-op sandy soils. Drought tolerance Blanketflower seeds are commer- Gaillardia seedlings at 22 days may be diminished in heavier cially available. Sow in early to soils. mid-fall on an untilled seed bed. Plants Containerized plants often are sold in 4-inch, quart and gallon containers. For a a dense planting, space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart, on center. Care Photo by Florida Wildflower Seed Co-op Established plants are drought Gaillardia seedlings at 2-3 months tolerant, so supplemental watering might be needed only during extended dry periods. When 1 1 Photo by John Moran irrigating, apply ⁄3- to ⁄2- inch of water. In late fall, plants that have not died can be cut back to 6 to 8 inches of stubble. No cold protection is needed during winter; even the tiniest seedlings tolerate frost and freezes into the low 20s. Varieties sold Blanketflower is relatively pest- and disease-free. When viewing leaves at many large closely, you may notice tiny white speckles, which horticulturists often retail outlets and refer to as stippling. Whatever the cause, stippling does not appear to garden centers, and be detrimental to the Blanketflower’s overall health. by national wildflower seed companies, often are non-native Gaillardia aristata or one of the many varieties of Gaillardia pulchella or Gaillardia x grandiflora (a hybrid of G. pulchella and G. aristata). Avoid planting these in the vicinity of Gaillardia pulchella, as they may hybridize. Photo by Kari Ruder W4 planting and care of Rudbeckias in landscapes Photo by Peg Urban About this genus Description Black-eyed Susan, especially These plants are excellent the variety found in Central and nectar sources and are South Florida, appears to be also larval hosts to some perennial. However, varieties moths. may be annual, biennial or perennial. Plants are generally Cut flowers can last up to 1 to 2 feet tall with most of 10 days in bouquets. the foliage on the bottom half. Black-eyed Susan roots Leaves are very rough to the also have been used in touch (which can help identify various medicines. young plants). The 3- to 4-inch deep-yellow aster-like flowers have dark brown disk flowers in a central dome. Rudbeckia flattened and brown or purplish. blooms spring through fall, and Softhair Coneflower is a robust has scattered blooms through the plant that can have 30 flowers winter in South Florida. open at a time from late spring Softhair Coneflower is annual or through summer. It naturally Photo by John Moran biennial, with soft, almost velvety occurs in sandhills and open Rudbeckia hirta hairs on plants that reach 3 feet hammocks, so plant it in sandy, or more when flowering. The well-drained soils, and mix it with Rudbeckia species are commonly 2½-inch flower heads are similar other species where its height known as Black-eyed Susans or to Black-eyed Susan.